Vernon Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Submitted Mar. 5, 2008
Towards the end of 2007, the Las Vegas Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America got some alarming news. Council officials were notified that a large funding allocation which had traditionally come to the scouts from the United Way would be severely reduced. In response to this, the council hurriedly sought a way to make up for the shortfall. A team of volunteers was quickly developed to organize a major fundraising event.
Bevan Dalley was at his home in the afternoon doing some carpentry work. In the process of cutting lumber, to be used as a baseboard, Dalley caught his pinky, ring, and middle finger of his left hand severing the fingers below the base. Dalley was able to remove his hand but not until the saw had severely torn into his index finger.
The Council held its first annual Sporting Clays Classic at the Desert Lakes Shooting Club in Las Vegas, on February 1-2. The event was a tremendous success raising $210,000 for the regional scouting program.
Council officials attributed much of the success of the event to the efforts of Logandale resident, Wes Adams. “Wes Adams’ leadership was really instrumental in helping us to recruit the teams to make this event the success that it was,” said Eric Tarbox, Development Director for the Las Vegas Area Council. “Mr Adams was largely responsible for getting this group of men together.”
Involved in the event were 54 Corporate Teams of four people each. Each team contributed $5,000 to participate in the event. Six of the teams flew in from out of state to participate, Tarbox said.
LandRover and Smith & Wesson companies also stepped forward as $25,000 corporate sponsors. The participants of the event were treated to a catered reception/auction held at Land Rover Las Vegas. Fine guns, trips, hunts, and other items were auctioned off. A Smith & Wesson 410 semi automatic pistol was given away as a door prize.
The next day, at Desert Lake Shooting Club, teams enjoyed a half-day of Sporting Clays on four person golf carts. The other half of the day teams enjoyed driving Land Rovers on a specially prepared off-road course. They then tried out the latest S&W shotguns, rifles, and pistols, including the 500 S&W Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world.
Council officials were pleased with the event’s great success. “The funds raised in this event provided a full year of scouting for over 1,700 new boy scouts in the local area,” said Tarbox. “We truly appreciate the efforts that were put into this by Mr. Adams and many others.”
The Council plans to make this an annual event. “Because of Wes’s leadership and the strength of the Las Vegas brand, we will recruit globally for the second annual event which will be held on February 6-7, 2009,” Tarbox said.
